1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to medical devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to safety needles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A major concern in the medical community is an inadvertent needle prick. There are numerous cases of health care workers becoming infected with deadly diseases after pricking with a used needle. While great care is used to account for all needles because of the vast number used each day a small percentage will be missplaced. Further, the use of needles with patients in agony or volent increases the risk of a prick. What is needed is a simple device which is inexpensively manufacturable that protects the health care worker from inadvertent needle pricks.
Numerous innovations for safety cannula have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present invention as hereinafter contrasted.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,431, titled Intravenous Catheter Insertion Device, invented by Michael J. Botich and Thor Halseth, a hypodermic injection system is described having with a retractable needle wherein the needle retracts within an interior cavity of a syringe plunger, such that the needle is confinedly held within the plunger. A cylindrical spring housing assembly has resilient fingers which captures a spring biasly holding a needle holder against the retaining force of resilient fingers. The plunger has a frangible end, which dissociates when the outwardly tapered shoulders spread the resilient fingers, allowing the coiled spring to eject the needle and its holder into the interior cavity of the plunger. A body fluid sampling embodiment employs the same functional elements except the plunger is shorter and contains a linking that communicates with a vacuum container. The container allows fluid sampling and provides the structure to release the spring retracting the needle. The retractable needle embodiment is also employed with an insertion needle that guides a catheter tube below the skin of a patient and into the vein, and allows retraction of the insertion needle thereby avoiding accidental pricking of the health care worker by the insertion needle.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a retractable needle that retracts within an interior cavity of a syringe plunger. A cylindrical spring housing assembly has resilient fingers which captures the needle preventing extension. When the plunger is pushed, the needle is extended against a spring bias. Withdrawing the plunger allows fluid sampling and provides the structure to release the spring retracting the needle. When the plunger is withdrawn beyond a preselected limit, the needle is released and automatically withdrawn into the housing. The patented invention functions with a plunger and needle which cooperate together. The present invention functions with any device to which a needle is adapted. The present invention has an auto stopper that prevents inadvertent extension of the needle to an operable position without user intervention. In operation the present invention is fitted to the end of a syringe. The user pushes down on an extending device which releases a latching device permitting the needle to slide forward to an operable position against a spring bias. The needle remains extended as long as the user continues to push on the extending device. When the user has completed an injection, and releases the extending device the needle is automatically retracted by the spring bias. Further, once the needle is retracted into the needle holder an auto stopper latching device is activated which closes the opening preventing the needle from being extended with the extending device or other means.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,647, titled Needle Device, invented by David Y. Phelps, a needle device for delivering medicaments to the body of a patient, the device including an elongated housing having a catheter on one end, with a trocar arranged through the end of the housing and the catheter. The trocar is reciprocably advancable and retractable with respect to the catheter. A spring biased carniage in the housing controls the movement of the trocar and causes it to retract from the distal end of the catheter after the catheter and trocar have been advanced into a body and the trocar no longer encounters resistance to forward or distally directed advance of the device.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a needle device that includes an elongated housing having a catheter on one end, with a trocar arranged through the end of the housing and the catheter. The trocar is advancable and retractable with respect to the catheter. A spring biased carriage in the housing controls the movement of the trocar and causes it to retract from the distal end of the catheter after the catheter and trocar have been advanced into a body and the trocar no longer encounters resistance to forward or distally directed advance of the device. The present invention has an auto stopper that prevents inadvertent extension of the needle to an operable position without user intervention In operation the present invention is fitted to the end of a syringe. The user pushes down on an extending device which releases a latching device permitting the needle to slide forward to an operable position against a spring bias. The needle remains extended as long as the user continues to push on the extending device. When the user has completed an injection and releases the extending device the needle is automatically retracted by the spring bias. Further, once the needle is retracted into the needle holder an auto stopper latching device is activated which closes the opening preventing the needle from being extended with the extending device or other means.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,665, titled Composite Catheter Assembly, invented by Jerry M. Kaufman, a composite catheter assembly for fixing, locating, inserting and accurately securing intravenous catheters having a needle thereon within body fluid conduits has an attachment plate with an elongated opening therein, a barrel having a bore extending inwardly from one open end of the barrel to define a transverse shoulder so that a passage or sized opening can be provided between the bore and the exterior of the barrel at the transverse shoulder end of the bore, a catheter assembly including, a carrier is slidably mounted in the bore of the barrel for movement of the needle on the catheter assembly from a retracted position in the barrel to an extended position into the body fluid conduit. A retracting assembly is provided which includes, a spring that is compressed when the catheter assembly is moved from the retracted position to the extended position, and an operatively associated locking and latching assembly to hold and releasably lock the catheter assembly in the extended position and when actuated to permit the compressed spring to retract the catheter assembly and withdraw the needle until it is returned to the retracted position in the barrel.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a composite catheter which includes, a spring that is compressed when the catheter assembly is moved from the retracted position to the extended position, and an operatively associated locking and latching assembly to hold and releasably lock the catheter assembly in the extended position and when actuated to permit the compressed spring to retract the catheter assembly and withdraw the needle until it is returned to the retracted position in the barrel. The present invention has an auto stopper that prevents inadvertent extension of the needle to an operable position without user intervention. In operation the present invention is fitted to the end of a syringe. The user pushes down on an extending device which releases a latching device permitting the needle to slide forward to an operable position against a spring bias. The needle remains extended as long as the user continues to push on the extending device. When the user has completed an injection and releases the extending device the needle is automatically retracted by the spring bias. Further, once the needle is retracted into the needle holder an auto stopper latching device is activated which closes the opening preventing the needle from being extended with the extending device or other means.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,548, titled Safety Catheter, invented by Gregory W. Walter, a disposal apparatus is described for the safe disposal of a medicinal needle after use utilizing a container with a vacuum therein and a piston attached to one side of the needle which protrudes ready for use. After use of the needle, one side of the piston is exposed to ambient pressure and the needle is retracted into the container for safe disposal. A sight chamber attached to said piston within said container and communicating with said needle indicates when said needle has pierced a blood vessel. In another embodiment, a spring is employed to retract the needle.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a disposal apparatus is described for the safe disposal of a medicinal needle. The patented invention lacks features similar to the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,242, titled Bladder Catheter, invented by Zafer A. Termanini, an improved bladder catheter for insertion in a body cavity comprises a tubular member having a distal end and a proximal end, a longitudinally extending lumen open for drainage at the proximal end, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending slits adjacent the distal end. At least the portion of the tubular member intermediate the extremities of the slits is flexible and at least one longitudinally extending spring element is disposed in each of the intermediate portions, the spring elements being unstressed when the intermediate portions are flush with the adjacent unslitted portions of the tubular member for biasing the intermediate portions to the flush position. The improved catheter also includes means within the tubular member for releasably retracting the distal end relative to the proximal end to flex the intermediate portions outwardly from the adjacent portions for retaining the catheter in the bladder. Upon release of the retracting means, the spring elements return to their unstressed state thereby returning the intermediate portions to the flush position to permit catheter withdrawal.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a bladder catheter having a spring element which is unstressed prior to insertion into a body. When the bladder catheter is inserted into a body, a spring is biased to hold the catheter in position. Upon release of the bladder catheter, the spring elements return to their unstressed state to permit catheter withdrawal. The present invention has an auto stopper that prevents inadvertent extension of the needle to an operable position without user intervention. In operation the present invention is fitted to the end of a syringe. The user pushes down on an extending device which releases a latching device permitting the needle to slide forward to an operable position against a spring bias. The needle remains extended as long as the user continues to push on the extending device. When the user has completed an injection and releases the extending device the needle is automatically retracted by the spring bias. Further, once the needle is retracted into the needle holder an auto stopper latching device is activated which closes the opening preventing the needle from being extended with the extending device or other means.
Numerous innovations for safety cannula have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.